The Shay

Class:

Steam Locomotive

Manufacturer:

Bachmann

Model Number:

82199

Road Name:

None

Length:

20.8"

Axles:

4

The Bachmann Shay, our third steam engine, is one of the most interesting engines at the railroad. The three pistons' many moving parts provide a stunning visual, even when the locomotive isn't running. Most of the time, it can be found pulling log or freight trains. A common consist for the Shay is the five Short Log Cars, the Long Log Car, and the Searchlight Car. Since the Shay is a model of a narrow gauge locomotive, it looks a little large compared to a lot of our rolling stock. They Shay is undecorated and does not wear a road name or a number, though it does include a Lima Locomotive Works builder's plate.

Our Shay is of the two-truck variety and includes a headlight, taillight, cab light, a lit firebox both in the cab and at track level, and a smoke generator. An on-off switch for the smoke generator can be found behind the door at the front of the boiler. Each truck has a motor, allowing the Shay to run much faster than its prototypical top speed. It does not have a sound unit. It came equipped with knuckle couplers, which we swapped out for the hook-and-loop couplers found on most of our rolling stock. We also installed a DCC decoder in the tender. The engine came with quite a few detail pieces and it carries a removable water hose on its right side.

The Prototype

Ephraim Shay, 1839 - 1916, designed and patented the Shay locomotive. Made to manage the steep grades found on mountains used for logging, the first Shays were delivered by Lima Locomotive Works in 1880. Their side-mounted drive shafts power all of the wheels, including those of the tender. Shays favor traction and power over speed. Some of the last remaining Shays in the world can be seen at the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park in West Virginia, which used to be a logging railway (the link to their site is on the Links page).